Prime Minister John Key: bust the “Roast Busters” and show you take sexual violence seriously

Imagine being a 13 year old girl who has been raped.By multiple boys. And your rapist then went on Facebook and bragged about it, sharing with an audience of thousands your personal strife. The next step would be to go to the police – and so you do. And their response? To ask what you were wearing. And then dismiss your rape, saying there’s not enough evidence to proceed.

That’s what happened to a 13 year old young woman who was raped two years ago.

She was the victim of Roast Busters, a group of boys who gang raping intoxicated underage girls. They then humiliated these women by bragging on Facebook – posting videos and sharing the personal anguish of these women with an audience of thousands.

The police are saying there’s not enough evidence to convict these Roast Busters, so they won’t charge them. But, it’s now come to light that one of the alleged rapists is, in fact, a local police officer’s son. And that in the past few years 4 victims have gone to the police – and their voices were consistently ignored.

It’s clear that the police force isn’t doing its part to find justice for these young women. These young women are being dismissed by the official body that is supposed to support those in need – and they have nowhere to turn to because of a lack of proper support services for victims of assault.

That’s why we need our Prime Minister to step up and do the right thing.

The current legal system is too intimidating for victims to come forward - and rapists are being convicted at extremely low rates. And no example of this is greater than these young women who have come forward about Roast Busters – only to be dismissed. Nothing has been done to alleviate the pain and shame these girls feel.

It’s time to demand justice for these young women. It’s time our Government ensured that protocols, including support services for people who are raped or assaulted, are in place so something like this doesn't happen again.

Use your voice to help these young women whose voices are consistently being ignored.

Letter to

Prime MinisterJohn Key

Dear Prime Minister Key,

I ask that you please find justice for the many young women who were victimised by “Roast Busters.”

It’s entirely unacceptable that our society would let gang rapists go free for years while multiple young women have approached the police seeking justice for their rapes.

I ask that you find justice for these young women who will now have to live with the horrific memories of the actions of the “Roast Busters.” I also ask that you ensure proper protocols are in place so nothing so horrific can happen again, including ensuring the “Roast Busters” are charged and there are proper support services for people who have been raped or assaulted, especially as they cannot turn to the police for support.